Another day in Paradise … Antarctica!

We woke up in the morning to crystal blue skies, the mountains surrounding us reflected in the glassy smooth water. The only sounds disturbing the silence were the chirps of terns and the roar of calving glaciers. Two penguins porpoised playfully as tsunamis created gentle waves in the bay. I’ve never felt such peaceful solitude. It is a wild and breathtakingly beautiful place.

After breakfast, we set out on a four-hour kayak around the bay. The glaciers surrounding us shone bright white in the sun and every imaginable shade of blue. We kayaked through the brash ice … at one point, grounding ourselves on a small iceberg. Calving glaciers sounded like gunfire, followed by a roar that echoed through the sheltered bay. We came up on another leopard seal resting on an iceberg, and nearly witnessed the circle of life as an unsuspecting Gentoo leapt up next to him. She backtracked quickly as she realized her near-fatal mistake. Fortunately for the penguin, the leopard seal must have not been ready for a meal. We watched the seal until another minke grabbed our attention, and we paddled after her for while until it was time to return to the ship.

Back on board, we gathered on the deck for pizza. I had heard of days like this … shirtsleeve weather, under bluebird skies. The sun warmed our bodies, and the wine warmed our bellies.

After lunch, the fog rolled in, and we headed out to prepare camp. Tonight, we’ll camp on the ice. This will be my first foray into the world of cold-weather camping, where we’ll fall asleep to a lullaby of shifting icebergs and the gentle slap of the tide on the shore.